The Shunned
by Dark Butterfly Gurl
Summary: There are roughly 2 billion child prostitutes right now and at this very second some are being raped. Keep all of these children in your hearts and thoughts as they will forever be in mine. Most service an average of 10 people a day. Read and understand.


The Shunned

People say that even in the darkness there is light but they have never seen anyone in my position. This life is all that I have known. Day after day with barely enough food to keep a rat alive and yet I suppose I'm content. I have not yet come of age. I have only lived for 12 years. Most that come to the sales find me unattractive. Men will laugh and joke asking if I'm a girl or a stick. They want girls with more curves and that are youthful. Then again there are others that say I'm so young and it entices them. I thank the Lord that I have not been harmed by the main epidemic in such places that I am in. I hug my knees and hide my face; tears threatening to fall from my eyes. I curl up with my teddy bear and cuddle it as if it was a mother and I imagined a gentle hand rubbing my back. I imagined her speaking comforting words. I couldn't hold the tears back any longer. I was starting to feel somewhat relaxed when some man shook the bars and barked like a rabid dog. I immediately scrambled for the corner of my cell and watched with horror as they laughed at my fear.

"What's the matter girl!?" His laughter filled the halls as he walked on by and continued his browsing. My heart had jumped all the way into my throat. My throat hurt so bad that I could barely swallow. I felt my heartbeat started to slow down and I walked back to get my teddy bear. I dusted him off and gave him a tight squeeze as an apology.

"We will be safe soon Po." I snuggled into his fur and curled up under my blankets and watched the lights go out. I sighed in relief. I hadn't been bought tonight. My caretaker walked by my cell. His name was John, or that's what he said his name was. He walked in and handed me my food for the day, which consisted of stale bread and water. My stomach growled and I looked at him. His lips curled into a devious smile.

"You weren't sold tonight but there is always tomorrow Kitten." I shuddered. I hated when he called me such things.

"When can I go home?" I asked it every time he was here but I hoped each time for a different answer but so far the answer ends with a punishment that worsens each time. As his smile faded, my fear rose. I received and glare of daggers as he struck me cheek. I bit my lip to keep from crying because I know it pleases him.

"After all I do for you it's still not enough!? I give you a bed and food and you disrespect me like this!?" He struck me again, this time hard enough to send me forward onto my knees. I cried out in pain.

"I-I'm sorry! Please forgive me sir!" I stuttered, bowing at his feet. His lips curled into a devious smile once more.

"That's a good little Kitten now eat and then go to bed." He rubbed my cheek out of spite and it took all my strength not to bite his finger off. I just looked down at my feet as he walked out and locked the cell behind him. I stared at the food he had placed in my lap and without another thought shoveled it into my mouth. It seemed to turn to ash as soon as it touched my tongue. I fed Po too; I can't be selfish after all. I got onto my knees over the bed and closed my eyes.

"God it's me again. Thank you for protecting me again today. Please send an angel to come and save me from this place and send me back home. I miss my mommy. She must me lonely after my daddy left and sold me here so please protect her and if it's not too much trouble can you tell my big brother in heaven that I say hello and that I miss him and love him? In your name I pray, Amen." I wiped the tears from my eyes. I was with my older brother here but he, unlike me, was consumed by the spreading epidemic and couldn't pull through. I hug Po and look at the piece of shirt that I had tied around his neck. It was part of my brother's shirt. I could still smell his scent of mint leaves on it and it soothed me like a mother's lullaby and I couldn't stay awake any more.

******

The next morning was the same as always. We were taken out of our cells and made to bathe in smelly water and oils. If ever we where caught talking we would be beaten and whipped. I was naturally quiet so I rarely got into trouble. We dressed in casual wear since today was Sunday we weren't rented out today. Once we were bathed and dressed we were sent back to our cells. My favorite thing to get was books. I loved books. It was like a transporter to another place far from here and it was a small comfort to me. I read everything from fiction to history; it didn't matter as long as I could leave this place. I began to sit down with my book when the doors were opened. People in white coats flooded in. John ran out to greet them.

"Welcome to my small auction." One of the white coats stepped forward.

"The pleasure is all yours," he sneered, "but we should find everything that we need here." He began to look through all the cages as I turned back to my book. It was so deep that its gothic style seemed to draw me in. It was_ Frankenstein _by Mary Shelley. My heart wept with the monster that was not the true monster, at least not to me. Unknown to me, the white coat man walked in and was watching me read. He closed my book and I jumped.

"You like books?" He sat at the edge of my bed and smiled. He seemed genuine so gave a light nod.

"_Frankenstein _eh? Isn't that a bit old for you?" He flipped through the pages of the book and I shook my head.

"No, I like the story." My voice was barely above a whisper. He stood up and walked over to John.

"How would you like to become very rich?" He asked him, a glint of something I couldn't understand flickered in his eyes. John seemed to foam at the mouth.

"You have my attention." The man in the white coat gave him a smirk that sent a chill to the very marrow of my bones.

"I would like to clone your slaves to make two of each or so and the more there are, the more you can sell."

"Does it really work?!" He yelled out in surprise as the man nodded.

"We will need only a few to get started but also the clones can also replace the original person. For example, if one of your children die we can clone them and it will stand in their place." I felt my heart rate speed up.

"This can't be good Po." I held him close to me. The man looked back at me with glint of; I can place it now, greed. I hugged my knees and held Po close to me.

"She will be first after all she must have some sort of intellect to be able to understand _Frankenstein. _It has a good amount of depth and the story line of the book is of creation." Guards came into my cell and I braced myself and struggled against their grip.

"Let me go!" It was one of the first times that I remember ever voicing my opinion. I kicked the guards and bit their arms and hands. The white-coated man patted my head.

"There is nothing to fear unless you misbehave. If you be good I may let you go afterwards." His words made me still and silent. Before I knew it I was being led down a narrow hall. I saw the coated man walk over to John and whisper something but I couldn't make it out but all I saw was John smirk and walk off. The man walked up to me and smiled. I could already sense his sly nature.

"Will it hurt?" It was all I could ask. What else could I ask?

"Not at all child." He led me to a room that used to be the old bathroom. Wires were strung from big machines. He picked me up and set me on a table. He put sticky paper on my chest, arms, and legs with wires coming off of them.

"Close your eyes now." I reluctantly did what I was told. I felt sharp pain all over my body and screamed. Leather straps pinned me down as I struggled and looked at what the pain was. I was being stuck with large needle with small tube connected to them. The man put a mask over my mouth.

"Breathe deep for me." I held my breath and the man sighed and twisted the needle in my stomach, moving it against the muscle and back down again. I cried out and inhaled sharply and then my world went black.

******

I woke up to the smell of alcohol and blood. It overwhelmed me and the small amount of anything in my stomach came up. The needles had been removed but the large gash in my stomach from the needle being twisted was still open. I tried to stand but strength was completely gone, but I realized that to late only to fall to the stone floor. I looked to the table beside me and lying there was what looked to be...me. I thought that maybe I was dead and I was a spirit but the man came in and his grin seemed to go from ear to ear.

"What did you do to me?!" I yelled out in fear and confusion.

"I cloned you and it worked!" I jumped to attack him with the little strength that I could muster but he merely grabbed my hair and threw me to the floor.

"How dare you! I have given you the honor to be the first and you act like this." He kicked my stomach where the gash was and blood flowed freely from it. I heard something on the table shake and my clone seemed to be shaking but soon it stopped and no movement was heard. The man kicked me again.

"Why won't this procedure work!?" He kicked my stomach again, but this time as hard as he could. I cried and braced myself for another blow.

"THIS IS THE POLICE! FREEZE!" I saw men in black suits come in. The man in the white coat growled and ran but not before hitting a button on the side of the wall and I heard the sound of an alarm and bullets. I tasted something in my mouth. It was a metallic taste. I touched my lip and saw blood on my fingertips. One of the police kneeled down and touched my throat.

"Her pulse is low. She's not going to make it." I didn't understand until I felt my body going cold and I couldn't seem to move. I looked at the policewoman and she cradled me in her arms. She stroked my back and I felt something wet drop onto my hand. She was crying for me? I tried to ask but I choked on the blood in my mouth and saw it drip onto her jacket. My breath was quick and sharp. The woman hugged me close and shushed me. I reached for my teddy bear that had been tossed to the floor.

"P-Po." I managed to stutter out. The woman reached and grabbed Po, putting him in my arms. I hugged him and her.

"It's going to be ok little one." Her voice was cracked and as I drew upon my final breath I thanked God that it was over. Now I could finally rest. Now I would no longer live in a world of greed and corruption. I finally was free. Free of the cage that has kept me here so long. I heard the woman's sobs and smiled about the thought of someone caring about me. I now understood the saying that even in darkness there is light and I finally found my light. I can finally be at peace.

Trapped

Feathers ruffled against the bars

Cries falling upon deaf ears

Sorrow spread through every vein

Bleeding wings shunned and ignored no more

Free I am of this cage

Free I am of this burden

By: Me; Dark Butterfly Gurl

Authors Note

Much to my dismay this is based on true events. Children are being taken daily to be part of teahouses or sex auctions. It disgusts me to inform you that the people that run such things hold tours. Bangkok holds tours that show rapists and pedophiles to these places for their business. They take children as young as seven, luring them with the promise of money but after their living expenses they "work" basically for free. Most don't make it to their teen years from STDs and abuse. I wrote this so people may feel moved and understand the fears of these children. Some of the information I used from a true story of Veronica Santos. She was lured by a woman with the promise of work and she serviced an average of ten men a day. She died at age eleven of HIV. In Colombia alone there are 250,000 children prostitutes. This is without a doubt the hardest thing I have ever had to write. I hope I have informed readers that there are children and teens out there that have never been told a kind word in their life and I felt truly sickened at all the personal possessions that I own and they have nothing but food and the clothes on their backs. Keep these children in your thoughts, as they will forever be in mine. The poem above describes my feelings as I went through this story. The bird locked away was the character and her death was her being released from the cage of life. Life can be a cage that keeps us away from what our heart truly longs for, freedom.


End file.
